Project Summary - Microbiome Core Characterization of microbial communities and isolates is a key element necessary to achieve the scientific objectives of the proposed Center in Transformative Research in Metabolism. The Microbiome Core will provide a unique service dedicated to microbiome research and training. The goal of the Core is to support a comprehensive pipeline for characterization of microbial communities and isolates, which when characterized will generate testable hypotheses explaining host-microbiome symbiosis. We will achieve this goal by accomplishing the following Specific Aims (SA). SA1. Provide and maintain state-of-the-art technologies and procedures for a high throughput pipeline that characterizes microbial communities and isolates. SA2. Provide expertise in microbiome research, from experimental design and sample collection to data analysis and bioinformatics. SA3. Support and grow microbiome research and dissemination through expert consultation, and by engaging in outreach events with COBRE investigators and the general public. The novelty of this proposed core is to combine multiple modules that researchers can plug into at any point along the pipeline or access the full pipeline to characterize either isolates or microbial communities. The Microbiome Core is an essential component of the Research Projects supported by the Phase 1 center that focus on basic research into microbe-host symbiosis in metabolism. The Core provides the expertise, equipment, and software required for organismal, molecular, and bioinformatic analysis. Key equipment maintained by the Core includes a microbial bioreactor that allows users to set up experimental conditions similar to host guts and perturb the system to identify key microbial processes. An Illumina MiSeq and Nanopore MinION will provide the sequencing power to analyze the molecular underpinnings. In collaboration with the INBRE Bioinformatics Core, the Microbiome Core will provide expertise on bioinformatic algorithms needed for microbiome research.